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Louisa Mehta
Practice Contracts team
London office
Bermuda - Testimonial
An 8-year qualified English Barrister working for a top international law firm
Work
I am currently employed as an Associate in the Litigation Department of a leading offshore law firm in Bermuda. I had previously worked as a commercial barrister in England.
My litigation and arbitration practice in Bermuda mainly consists of insurance and reinsurance, financial services, and investment funds disputes, as well as commercial fraud claims, international asset recovery exercises, cross-border insolvencies, trusts disputes, and the enforcement of foreign judgments. The nature of the disputes is of a high quality, both in terms of the client base, their value, and the complexity of the issues that they raise.
Commercial dispute resolution practice in Bermuda is fairly similar to practice in England. Bermuda’s civil procedure is based on English civil procedure, and its common law mainly follows the common law of England. Although the disputes often have an international and offshore focus (reflecting the international business conducted from and through Bermuda), they are not very different to the international commercial disputes that are conducted in the English courts, or in international arbitration. Indeed, the nature of my work in Bermuda is very similar to the nature of the work I was doing as a barrister in London, which probably explains why I was recruited in the first place!
Unlike England, however, Bermuda has a fused legal profession, which means that my practice covers all aspects of the dispute resolution process, including meeting clients and foreign lawyers, taking instructions, advising clients, interviewing witnesses, gathering and disclosing evidence, corresponding with the other parties and the court or tribunal, as well as drafting court documents and appearing as an advocate in Court or in arbitration hearings.
Although I came from the English Bar, where I was self-employed and independent, I have enjoyed the challenges of practice in a fused profession. It is extremely interesting dealing with clients, foreign lawyers, and colleagues in a wide variety of jurisdictions (including the USA, Canada, the UK, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Switzerland, and other offshore jurisdictions, such as the Cayman Islands and the BVI). I also enjoy the fact that I am able to take ownership of a dispute from its beginning to its end, and I feel that I have more responsibility for my cases than I did when I was a junior barrister being instructed by large firms of solicitors in London. I have certainly learnt a great deal, and I believe I have developed both my technical legal skills, and my relationships with a diverse, international client base.
Outside work
On the whole, the work-life balance in Bermuda is more attractive than the work-life balance that I experienced in London, although that is not to say that I do not work hard in Bermuda, or that I did not enjoy living in London. However, Bermuda is a wonderful place to live, with a great climate and geographical features. The weather is beautiful for most of the year. The harbour, the beaches, and the coral reef are stunning, and they make perfect settings for a wide variety of watersports. The golf and tennis facilities are world-class. There is a wide variety of restaurants and bars. There are cinemas, and a regular flow of cultural events, arts festivals, and exhibitions throughout the year. For the serious culture-vultures, gourmets, or shopaholics, there are also regular and convenient flights to New York, Toronto, Boston, Miami, and London.
The high quality of life in Bermuda is not without its downsides. The cost of living is high (accommodation, transport, utilities bills, and groceries are all extremely expensive, and definitely as high as London or New York); there is a substantial amount of bureaucracy to compete with as a new arrival to the island; there can be a surprising amount of traffic at rush-hour (although this can be avoided if you drive a scooter or take the ferry); and work permit term-limits mean that it is extremely unlikely that a foreigner will be able to stay in Bermuda forever, or make partner in a Bermuda law firm in Bermuda.
On the positive side, however, the salaries in an offshore law firm are open to negotiation, and there is a minimal rate of income tax. Provided that you take into account the true cost of living in Bermuda and the currency exchange rate when carrying out your salary negotiations, you should be as well off in Bermuda financially as you would have been in London or New York, and possibly more so.